


The Tall Boy

by bapabo



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Crossdressing, M/M, Slow Build, Strangers to Lovers, Unrequited Crush, i add more tags as it goes on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-26
Updated: 2019-02-08
Packaged: 2019-10-16 12:57:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 13,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17550107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bapabo/pseuds/bapabo
Summary: "So.. anyways. I'm Reiner. Reiner Braun." He gave a small, hopeful smile in Bertolt's direction. Then his expression became a little more thoughtful. "Hey, don't I know you from somewhere?"Bertolt was a little dumbfounded. Partly, because he was unsure of what to think, but mostly because he was completely taken by surprise."Uh, uhm. No?" he offered weakly.Reiner brought one hand up to his chin in a thinking gesture. "No, no, I'm sure I've seen you somewhere before." he said, mostly to himself.





	1. Chapter 1

The assembly hall was humming with noises; voices trying to be heard over the buzz, chairs scratching over the tiles, feet stomping all over.

Bertolt already had claimed a seat for himself, as far away from the stage and as close to the entrance as possible. Looking around, he noticed all the decorations that had been put up, flowers, banners, posters. It was a bit too much in Bertolt's opinion.  
Scanning the room, he was glad that he had come without family. Mothers cooing over their children finally getting into college, grandmothers shedding a few tears, fathers insisting to take more photos than necessary. There sure were a lot of people.

He fidgeted nervously in his seat, his palms starting to get sweaty with the huge mass of people around him.  
People coming from behind kept bumping into him, trying to squeeze through the aisle to find a seat for their group, not noticing how their elbows knocked into the tall boy's head or how their feet stepped on his. 

When mostly everyone had settled and the excited chatter died down a little, there was a sudden flash of silence and then a quiet murmur started when someone on stage had tapped the microphone. The ridiculously handsome man cleared his throat and smiled, as far as Bertholt could see from his place in the back of the hall.  
Suddenly, the door behind him swung open once more, intruding the silence and startling Bertolt, making him turn his head meekly towards the noise.

A group of three people shuffled in, two of them giggling and one rather muscular, blond, attractive ... and annoyed looking guy shoving them in front of him. "C'mon", the guy said, "be quiet! Damn." which just caused the pair to giggle evem more. He tried to close the old, creaking door as quietly as possible. With ducked heads but still giggling, they squeezed past Bertolt to sit in the few seats left empty right next to him. The bigger guy followed, having a harder time to get to his seat without disturbing Bertolt too much.  
Right. Of course he couldn't keep the privilege to have scored a secluded seat. 

"Dear students, parents, family, and everyone else, welcome to Rose College", the person on stage finally started, looking in Bertolt's general direction. The blond guy got a little smaller with embarrassment. "My name is Erwin Smith and I'm the director of this wonderful facility. I hope you will.."  
What followed was a long and boring welcoming speech Bertolt didn't listen to, partially because the trio next to him kept him distracted. In the chair to his right was a rather small, bald guy, who kept bickering with the brunette girl. A tickling fight seemed to have broken out, earning annoyed huffs from the people around them.   
When an elbow landed in Bertolt's side and he couldn't  help the audible "oof" that escaped him with the blow, a woman in front of them turned around and shot a rather pointed look in their direction. 

"Jesus Christ, Sasha, shut the hell up, alright? And Connie, stop bothering the guy next to you. I can't believe he hasn't said a damn thing about your scrawny ass yet!" the blond guy said sternly in a hushed voice, then he huffed, crossed his arms and leaned back into his seat.  
At the mention of him, Bertolt tensed up and shifted uncomfortably in his seat. He desperately fixed his stare on the stage while trying to cease out of existence as best as he could, but that didn't work. Luckily, the attention wasn't on him for long, as both of the pair turned towards the blonde guy and excessively started sulking and pouting, crossing their arms as well.   
Bertolt let his tensed shoulders drop, but was still on edge, watching the group out of the corner of his eye. But apart from some silent whispers and a few chuckles here and there, they stayed quiet from then on. 

 

The information event felt like a dull eternity to Bertolt, when finally he was pulled out of his thoughts by people around him clapping and chairs scratching against the floor as they got up. He scrambled to his feet, grabbed his coat and scarf hanging from the back of his chair and left hurriedly without giving his surroundings a second look.  
On his way out, he grabbed some info material laying around just to be polite and hurried to the entrance hall. 

He took a few deep breaths and tried to calm his mind from the mass of people that had surrounded him until just a minute ago. He wasn't good with such things and he most likely would never get used to it.  
That's right... Now he had about two weeks to _try_ and get used to the idea of college, moving to a new environment where he knew nobody and where there was no safe-place, as he would be sharing his dorm room with some stranger.

A few older students passing through the area gave him a weird side look as he groaned at the thought.  

Alright. It was no use. He had to pull through somehow, this is what he wanted and if it came with a price, so be it. He could manage.  
Bertolt stood a little straighter after his own pep talk, but his confidence soon faltered again. He sighed, let his shoulders slump forward and put on his coat. As he pushed open the huge entrance door, frosty winter air hit his face. Little snowflakes were falling from the sky.  
He moved to pull his scarf closer around his neck when he realized that there was nothing there.  
Damn. He must have forgotten it when he literally leaped out of his seat. Well, it's not like Bertolt would go back to look for it. Not like he had the courage to do so, anyway.

Instead, he ducked his head down in an attempt to warm himself by using the collar of his coat and made his way to a bus stop near the campus. The stony pathway crunched under his steps and slowly started turning white when the snowflakes settled.  
He took a quick look at the schedule and was relieved to find that he didn't have to wait longer than eight minutes.   
Pushing his hands in the coat's pockets, he tried to escape the frosty bite that winter brought with it. It was mid November, and it wouldn't get warmer for another four months or so.

Bertolt watched the few people passing by the busstop, the snowflakes landing softly on flowers and bushes and the star bucks with the soft, golden lights in the small park belonging to the campus, not far from where he was standing. He thought about grabbing a warming drink when he saw his bus turn around the corner.   
He huffed. That wasn't eight minutes, it was hardly four. Whatever. He was glad that he had been the only one to leave so early and could enjoy some time alone on a quiet bus.

It came to a halt before him and Bertolt climbed in, payed for his ticket and fell into a seat that was too worn out to be comfortable. As the bus pulled away, he took one last look at the old, huge building. So, that was gonna be his new home.

 

If he was honest with himself, a part of him couldn't wait, but mostly he was just intimidated.  He sighed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im sorry i have no idea how american colleges work so please accept this probably made-up scenario


	2. Chapter 2

104.

Bertold looked down at the paper in his hands and then back up to the rusty numberplate screwed to the door.   
Yeah, this was his new dorm room, no doubt.   
After the welcoming ceremony-information event, he had received personal information like his dorm room number, his schedule and a list of things he needed to buy in a letter.

He prayed that his roommate hadn't arrived yet as he fished the key to the door out of his coat pocket. The incredibly awkward smalltalk that the woman at the front desk tried to have with him as she handed him his key had already been enough for Bertolt. He had felt a little rude to leave the woman hanging, but he also wasn't mentally prepared for an embarrassing humiliation like that.  
With a quiet click he turned the key. Despite the lock looking old and worn out, it turned quite smoothly. A quiet creak, and the door swung open. The room behind it was dark.

Bertolt was so relieved that he couldn't help the small smile forming on his lips.

He looked for the light switch and turned it on. The lamp flickered a few times.   
The room wasn't big, but it also wasn't cramped. Bertolt didn't mind the simple furnishing and thought that it could become a rather comfortable place.   
There were two beds, two desks and two dressers shoved against opposite walls. Between the beds on the wall opposite to the door and the wall on the left were two windows, making the room appear a little brighter, a little friendlier. There even were a pair of simple, yellow curtains hanging in front of each window. Not Bertolt's personal favorite color, but it wasn't so bad either. The wall to his right had a narrow door.  
Bertolt curiously opened it, revealing a small bathroom with a sink and toilet. At least he only had to use a shared shower room then.

"Boo." said someone quietly, touching his neck with cold fingers. Bertolt almost jumped out of his skin. 

"Oh my god, Annie! You can't surprise me like that!" He whined, turning around and rubbing over the now cold spot, quickly dropping his hand again when he realized just how sweaty he was.

"Oh, as you just saw, I can. Now help me move those boxes and your suitcase up the stairs." And with that, the small woman left the room again. Bertolt sighed and closed the door slowly, shaking his head but trying to hide a small smile. He looked down at the papers in his hand. As he decided to put them on one of the desks and follow Annie, she stuck her head into the room once more. "And you know that I'm never letting you forget that weird little 'wah' you made just now, right?" 

* * *

 When all boxes were unpacked, a lamp and some books sat on the desk and his favorite pillow on the bed he had claimed for himself (on the side with the second window, of course), Annie had hugged him and he thanked her for her help. Then she left and Bertolt stood alone in the unfamiliar room.

He was glad to have Annie, they had been friends from kindergarten. Bertolt was always teased by some other kids and Annie had proclaimed herself his personal bodyguard. Since then, they were inseparable until high school, when Annie had transferred to a school that saw sport as a top priority. Luckily, they didn't lose contact even though both of them weren't the type to go out of their way to reach out to others. 

He flopped onto the bed and bounced up and down a little, weirdly surprised that the mattress was this soft.  
His eyes fell on a small suitcase that still stood lonely by the door.  
All his other clothes were already packed into the drawer, but he had yet to bring himself to open that one. Given that his roommate wasn't here yet and Annie had already left, unpacking it should be a lot easier. 

Bertolt decided to pull himself together and grabbed the suitcase, put it on the bed and opened the zipper.   
He stared down at the garments, nervously taking out a particularly soft one and refolding it carefully, setting it next to the suitcase.

He went and dropped down in front of his dresser and opened the lowest drawer that he had left empty. Warily, he looked into the empty space. So, this was were he was going to hide his ... hobby?  


Yeah, Bertolt enjoyed to crossdress. So what? Why did he even bother hiding it from his roommate or anyone, for that matter? He didn't need to, right?  
Right. But his sweaty palms told him otherwise. So he finished to hurriedly put the clothes away, nervous that his roommate would come in at any second, surprising him. 

For the sake of being able to hide it, he had brought only two or three outfits, but still felt uneasy about how quickly they could be discovered. Thinking about it, he shoved a gym bag he rarely used on top of it. And some plastic bags. And his towels.  
This was probably as hidden as it was going to get, so he forced himself to be satisfied with it.

He got up, shoved the dresser as closed as he could (as if that was going to prevent anybody from opening it) and sat back on the bed.   
Looking around the room, the walls painted in a weird shade of faded yellow seemed to be a little bland without any poster put up, but Bertolt didn't bring any. Maybe his roommate would.

The clock next to his bed read 4 o' clock, so it was still way too early to head to bed.   
Maybe he should go to that Starbucks he saw and save himself from the awkward conversation that was inevitable. But then again, once he returned, he had to have that conversation with presumably horrible smalltalk anyway. He pondered about it for a while and decided to wait half an hour. Then he would leave for Starbucks and explore the campus for a bit.

* * *

Standing at the counter, Bertolt had a hard time deciding between a Salted Caramel Mocha and a Vanilla Latte.  
In the end, he settled on his usual favorite, the Salted Caramel Mocha. He meekly smiled at the girl taking his order. Her voice sounded kind and soft, and she didn't try to engage in some idle conversation with him. Bertolt liked her. 'Petra' said her name tag. He would make a point of being extra friendly to her in the future.

When his drink was prepared and finally warmed his hands, he felt content with the sweet smell lingering around him. He left the store and came to a halt outside, glad that the drink was providing him with much needed warmth. He tried to take a careful sip, but hissed when he burned his tongue a bit.   
A little disappointed with having to wait, he looked up and took in the campus. He was standing right in the middle of a small park with sandy pathways winding their way through it. A few trees were growing here and there, but it mostly was just plain grassed area. A street separated the park from the main building, where the welcoming ceremony had taken place.   
If he walked down the street to his left, he would reach the bus stop. To reach the dorms, he had to turn right. All the facility buildings were hidden behind the main building.

Unsure of what he wanted to explore first, Bertolt decided to just wander around, getting a general feeling for the campus and being able to find his way.

His roommate hadn't arrived in the 30 minutes that Bertolt had granted him. He already dreaded coming back to the room later, but at the same time, he was curious who ended up being paired with him. If he was lucky, he was as quiet and timid as Bertolt was, enjoying going to bed early and engaging in attention non-attracting activities only.  
Bertolt sighed.

Generally, he had never been a lucky guy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i promise they will meet each other in the next chapter please bear with me


	3. Chapter 3

Bertolt had returned to the dorms once his drink was empty and his limbs started to grow cold, which was probably a given after one and a half hours out in the cold. He actually found the campus rather nice, and with the blooms in spring it must look very pretty. He was excited to see it. 

He had thought that he would be relieved once he stepped inside, but the entrance hall of the dorm building and the hallways weren't exactly warm, they only sheltered from the wind. Hurriedly, he skipped up the stairs and strode down the hallway to room 104. Standing in front of the worn wooden door, he took a small breath and fumbled with the key. His frozen hands had some difficulty getting it into the lock, but he managed.

He was relieved to find it locked. That must mean his roommate hadn't arrived yet, which in turn would grant Bertolt more time in quiet.   
Indeed, when he pushed the door open, the room was once again dark. The lamp did its usual flicker as he turned it on.

Surprised, he found that his roommate had been there before, a suitcase laying on the other bed with some clothes still neatly folded in it, some sprawled messily out on the bed. A few drawers were open, a lone sock dangling over the edge of one of them. Two cardboard boxes stood on the floor.  
Bertolt couldn't help his curiosity and peeked into them. One was empty, the other contained some books and other belongings, similar to the things he had brought himself.

Looking up again, Bertolt realized that it seemed like his roommate was going to be an untidy, obnoxious person. Compared to his own side of the room, it looked like a wild animal was chased through there. Great!   
He sighed. He seemed to be doing that a lot recently.

Trying to analyze the things he saw, he wanted to minimize the surprise element when meeting his roommate for the first time. What could he learn from this, aside from the fact that the guy was most likely not interested in cleaning up after himself? 

There were basketball posters on the wall, so, a jock maybe. Even though that was a bit cliche, wasn't it?  
Bertolt didn't mind the posters, they made the room look a little more lived in and hid at least some of the unseemly paint job. Luckily, it wasn't photographs of muscular, sweaty men with signatures on them. Instead, it were the logos of famous basketball teams. He tried coming up with the teams names, but he could only identify the Lakers at best. 

Snooping around more, careful to not move anything around too much, he discovered a framed photo that stood on the desk, showing a cute Golden Retriever. Bertolt wondered what it's name was. But since he had to ask to find out, he would most likely never know.

Despite being curious, he didn't take things out of the box or suitcase, already feeling very rude to disrupt a strangers privacy this much. But then again, his roommate probably had also been curious and looked at some of Bertolt's things while he was gone.  
At that thought, his blood ran cold. What if he had opened the drawers and had seen Bertolt's female clothing?   
_No_ , Bertolt thought, _that's just irrational thinking_. He needed to pull himself together and relax, or he would always be on edge in his own room.

He rolled his shoulders in an attempt to calm himself down when his eyes fell on his roommate's bed, where something soft seemed to peek out from under all the scattered clothes.  
Bertolt moved closer to inspect it and carefully pulled a stuffed animal out of the pile. It was a rather soft Golden Retriever toy, worn out by heavy use. Bertolt smiled to himself. 

A jock that still used his childhood stuffed animal? That was almost... cute.  
He smiled lightly and stroked over the soft material once. Then he heard a key slide into the lock and a faint click.

Oh no.  
He scrambled to put the toy back into it's original position since he didn't want to seem like a nosey roommate that always snooped around.   
The door was swung open rather forcefully, and a loud, unpleasant voice practically screamed "Oi! There's someone in here!"

Deciding that putting back the stuffed animal without a trace was hopeless, Bertolt simply let it drop and turned around at once, a shocked and startled look on his face. Maybe also mixed with some guilt.   
Taking in the small figure that just entered, something clicked.

Oh. No.   
Bertolt knew that he was unlucky, but not like  _this._

The guy in front of him was the bald, annoying guy from the ceremony. What was his name again? Conan? Connor?   
And _he_ was gonna be Bertolt's roommate? _Sigh_.  
  
There were some noises and scowling coming from the hallway and sure enough, the brunette girl who Bertolt also remembered from that day followed suit and entered the room, carrying a box in her arms. "Gee, Connie. You could have helped me instead of running ahead, idiot!"   
She put down the box, then she noticed Bertolt with a surprised "Oh!" 

Before she could say anything, which she obviously wanted to do, a third person appeared with a furrowed brow. Of course, it was the blond, muscular guy. Now the trio was complete.  
He was carrying a rather heavy looking suitcase, the struggle to keep a grip on it apparent on his face.  
"You two," He scolded loudly, "have been more pain in the ass than help." He came further into the room and kicked the empty cardboard box out of his way before setting down the suitcase. "Really, I don't know why I bother with you. You're so.." he huffed exaggeratedly, pinching the bridge of his nose, "fucking annoying." 

The pair just giggled. "Yeah, but you love us." said the girl, made a kissy face and grabbed Connie's hand, pulling him away and out the door. "Bye! Be glad we even helped!" she laughed.

"See you later?" Connie yelled when Bertolt already wasn't able to see him anymore. The blond guy just shook his head. 

Bertolt still stood by the side of his roommates bed, unsure of what to do with himself during the whole ... thing that had just happened. It seemed like that Connie-guy wasn't his roommate after all, but he wasn't sure if he liked the idea of having the muscular, blond guy as a roommate less or more. He fidgeted with his hands and could feel the sweat forming on his forehead. He was about to build up the courage to just move to his bed, when his roommate looked straight at him and drew in a breath to start talking. Bertolt was startled and yelped softly, freezing again.

There was a short flash of confusion and maybe bemusement in his roommate's eyes who stood where he had put down the suitcase, with his hands on his hips. "Hey, uh, sorry about that. These two are a bit... yeah." He moved one hand up to point towards the door casually, then rubbing at the back of his neck.   
"So.. anyways. I'm Reiner.. Reiner Braun." He gave a small, hopeful smile in Bertolt's direction. Then his expression became a little more thoughtful and he cocked his head to the side slightly. "Hey, don't I know you from somewhere?"

Bertolt was a little dumbfounded. Partly, because he was unsure of what to think but mostly because he was completely taken by surprise.  
"Uh, uhm. No?" he offered weakly.

Reiner brought one hand up to his chin in a thinking gesture. "No, no, I'm sure I've seen you somewhere before." he said, mostly to himself.  
With Reiner studying him so closely, Bertolt grew uncomfortable and was sure that his ears had turned a bright shade of red. He couldn't help continuously fidgeting with his hands. Suddenly, Reiner's face lit up.

"Right! You're the guy from the welcoming ceremony, the one in the chair next to Connie? Ah, I felt so bad for you sitting next to him." He laughed a little and shook his head. "What a coincidence that we got put together, right?"  
Bertolt hadn't been prepared to be suddenly addressed with a question like that. "Oh, uhm..." He didn't know what to say. "I'm Bertolt" is what he settled for.

Reiner stretched out his hand and shook Bertolt's rather energetically when he accepted it. "Bertolt, I see. Well, Bertolt, nice to meet you. I hope I'm not such a big pain in the ass as a roommte." In an overly optimistic voice, he added "Lookin' forward to be rooming with you!" and let go of Bertolt.

Bertolt rubbed his hand subtly. This guy did have a strong grip.  
He didn't know if he was supposed to answer anything, but when Reiner turned around and started rummaging through one of the boxes and then moved on to the suitcase quickly, he decided that wasn't necessary. Instead, he went over to his desk and grabbed the book he was currently reading. He settled on his bed and rolled up against the wall in the corner farthest away from Reiner as he could manage. 

Aside from Reiner shuffling around and sometimes mumbling things to himself, it was relatively quiet. Yet, Bertolt couldn't concentrate on the text before him. He still wasn't over the embarrassment from before, cursing himself for always having to be that awkward with people and incapable of social interactions.

Peeking over the edge of his book, he was glad to see that Reiner was slowly cleaning up the mess he made, without Bertolt having to say anything.  
It seemed like Reiner was indeed the jock-y type, but he wasn't mean or a bully. If it got too bad, Bertolt was still able to issue a request for a new roommate later on, but for now, he was willing to give Reiner a chance.

(Mostly because of the cute, stuffed Golden Retriever toy.)

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ah i absolutely love this dynamic between them, i hope i can rlly emphasize it in the future


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i tried the idea of switching the pov from time to time, i thought it would be fun to get an insight into both of their emotions and stuff! also i just love the big fluffy idiot reiner is so .

Reiner had really tried fitting everything into his drawer, but some of the clothes he brought just wouldn't fit anymore. He glanced over at Bertolt sitting on his bed. The tall boy was still perched in a corner against a wall, reading a book. Reiner wondered if the position actually was comfortable at all, because it definitely didn't look like it. 

For a second, he thought about asking the other if he had any free space Reiner could use to stuff in his extra clothes. Thinking back at how awkward Bertolt had been though, he decided against it. He almost had to laugh when he remembered the surprised yelp Bertolt let out as Reiner tried to initiate their first conversation.

Instead, he closed the still half-full suitcase again and pushed it under the bed. As he got up, he made a mental note to clean under there in the near future, considering the fact that there were piles of dust collecting on the wood flooring.

Reiner checked out his half of the room. With the posters he put up and the stuffed toy sitting on his bed, the room reminded him a little of home. The scent was entirely different though. Naturally. Maybe it would grow on him, with time.  
He inspected the work he had done, tidying up his space. It really had looked messy before. With a satisfied huff, he decided he was finished once and for all.

He checked the clock next to Bertolt's bed. Almost seven. His friends most likely haven't gone to bed yet.

As curious as he was, Reiner really wanted to go and see how their dorm rooms looked like, how far away they lived, on what floor and if they already had fought with their roommates. But maybe he should stay here and try to build a foundation for a friendship between him and Bertolt? He peeked over at the tall boy, hoping not to be too obvious.

After pondering about it for a few seconds, lifting his weight from one foot to the other, he decided that Bertolt would most likely  _appreciate_ it if he left ~~~~. The awkwardness radiating off of him as he literally clutched to his book as if his life depended on it almost hurt Reiner physically.

He ran a hand through his short hair. "Uh...?"  
Bertolt flinched as Reiner suddenly tried to catch his attention. He peeked over the edge of his book. "Y- Yeah?" 

"Yeah. I just wanted to... I'm gonna go and visit my friends in their dorm rooms." Bertolt looked a little perplexed, confusement apparent in his eyes. He was still for a second, his eyebrows raised. Then he put his book down a little. "... And?"

"Oh. Nothing, just wanted to let you know... I guess." When Bertolt gave Reiner an almost inaudible "Ah.", he flashed a staged grin in his direction, trying to be extra friendly.  
Bertolt just turned his gaze back to his book, but it did seem like he curled his legs even closer to himself. _Weird guy_ , Reiner thought and turned around with furrowed eyebrows.

He grabbed his key from where it sat on his bedside table and wondered if he should bring his jacket too, in case his friends wanted to go out, but decided against it after all.  
Sliding the key in his pocket, he crossed the room and opened the door.

"So, bye. See you later?" he said as he opened it, stepping out of the room into the considerably colder hallway. He waited a short moment in case Bertolt would respond, but no answer came. He expected none. The door fell closed with a quiet click.

Standing in the hallway, he took in a deep breath. _What the fuck was that?_  
It's not like Bertolt was rude or unlikeable, but Reiner really didn't know what to do with him. Normally, his confidence was able to conceal awkwardness in any conversation, but with Bertolt...  
The guy was just so cliche, with his sweaty hands and the startled noises and how quickly he was frightened.

Reiner tilted his head back and looked at the ceiling. All he saw were a few stains, old looking and kinda gross, and he really didn't want to know what they were or how they got there.   
He let out a quiet, irritated groan and pinched his nose. He got to find a way to make Bertolt warm up to him, or these would become a long three years.   
Well, he could always run away to Connie's room. Maybe Jean's.

Thinking about Jean, he decided to find out where his room was instead of visiting Connie's. First of all, where Connie was, Sasha was too. And second of all, Reiner had had enough of both of them for a day. For at least three days. Maybe even for a whole month. They could be rather annoying, but he still liked them. Of course he wasn't going to tell them that. Reiner grinned.

Also, Marco was probably hanging out with Jean, and he hadn't seen him for a while. Maybe he also knew a few tips on how to befriend the tall boy, as empathic as he always was.

* * *

Bertolt had felt so relieved after Reiner shut the door behind him, the awkward tension finally falling from his shoulders. Feeling more at ease, he had let his legs stretch out a little. He didn't mind the crouched position, but it did get uncomfortable after a while.

He switched his position and turned on his stomach, slowly flipping through the pages. When he had to re-read the same sentence four times and still didn't comprehend what it was saying, he put the book away on his nighstand with an annoyed sigh.

Getting a little sleepy, he let his head drop into the pillow. The scent was unfamiliar and it put Bertolt in a melancholic mood.

Everything here was unfamiliar.

He couldn't put a name to the footsteps outside his room just by the sound of them. He couldn't find his way around the room in the dark. He didn't feel at home when he closed his eyes.

His roommate also was ... an issue. Not that he was unfriendly or ignorant, no, just the idea of sharing his  _home_ with a stranger let Bertolt break out in a sweat immediately. He hoped that Reiner didn't find him rude just because he didn't talk much. He actually wanted to befriend him, or at least get to know him a little better. He just didn't know how.

There was a quiet knock on the door, pulling him back into reality. He looked towards the door over his shoulder anxiously. Maybe he should pretend that nobody was in the room.

It knocked again, gently. Sighing, Bertolt got up. Whoever was there could probably see the light coming out from under the door, giving him away.   
He strode over to the door and wiped his hands over his shirt before grabbing the metal door knob, cold in his hands.

A new face greeted him. He grabbed the doorknob harder, his knuckles turning white.

"Hi!" The stranger chirped, "I'm looking for Reiner. He did text me that his room was 104, but maybe he misspelled it?"  
Bertolt took a second to answer. The freckled boy in front of him looked kind, a friendly smile on his face.

"Oh, no. He does live here, too. He... He went out." Bertolt tried to give a small smile in the boys direction, but giving his best to avoid eye contact anyway.

The boy made a 'tsk' sound, clicking his tongue. "That's a shame. I wanted to ask if he knows where Jean's room is..." He mumbled, more to himself.  
Bertolt didn't know what to answer and clung to the door, as if it would give him any kind of support.

If he wanted to make it through college without going insane, he needed friends, and this guy seemed nice and considerate enough. Also, he was friends with Reiner, so maybe that could be the needed foundation to build a connection.

Gathering all of his courage, Bertolt let go of the door and took a step back into the room. "Do you want to wait for him here?"   
The guy smiled which made his eyes crinkle. "I don't want to be a bother."

Bertolt shook his head. "He has been gone for a while, so... he will probably return soon." Bertolt gave somewhat of a smile back in Marco's direction, trying to look inviting. Which was hard, given how nervous he was.

The guy's smile widened. "Well, then. Thank you for the offer, I'll gladly take it."   
He followed Bertolt into the room, who slowly closed the creaking door and finally let go of the door knob. He now felt a little lost, but the other boy broke the silence before it got too long.

"I'm Marco, by the way. I know Reiner from high school, we somehow got into the same circle of friends. You must be his roommate?" Marco stretched out his hand in Bertolt's direction, in a similar manner as Reiner had done earlier. 

"I'm Bertolt," he answered, and after a second of pondering, he added "but I- I'd rather not take your hand right now", rubbing his hands over the front of his t-shirt, hoping that Marco would take the hint. His palms were really sweaty right now, and he didn't want to make Marco go through that wet handshake. 

Luckily, Marco smiled and dropped his hand. Bertolt felt a pressure falling form his shoulders, relieved that his assessment of Marcos capability of empathy for social awkwardness had been right.

"May I?" Marco asked, casually gesturing to Reiners bed. "Oh, sure. It's Reiner's bed anyway." Bertolt answered, sitting down as well, on his own bed. Marcos eyes settled on Bertolt for a few seconds, then wandered a little. Eventually, his gaze fell onto Bertolt's bedside table. 

"What are you reading there?" he asked curiously. "I don't recognize the cover." Looking over at the book as well, Bertolt decided to pick it up and hand it to Marco. He accepted it with interest apparent on his face. "Is that ... German?"

Bertolt nodded. "Yes, my mother comes from Germany. We moved here when I was eight."   
Marco's mouth made an 'o' shape, turning around the book in his hands, then looking at Bertolt. "I _knew_ your name sounded foreign, just didn't know what region to sort it into. So, what's the book's name?" 

Bertolt leaned back against the wall. " _'Die unendliche Geschichte'._ I guess the english name is... 'The Neverending Story'? A pretty famous book, in Germany, at least." Marco hummed.

"I guess I never realized that the author was German." he said, after a while. Bertolt nodded. " _Michael Ende_. Pretty ironic that his last name translates to 'end', considering the fact he wrote the _never ending_ story." At that, Marco let out a loud, genuine laugh, and Bertolt felt his cheeks become a little warmer. He smiled and looked down at his hands, fiddling with the hem of his sweatshirt. He really liked Marco.

As it turned out, Marco was a great conversation partner. Whenever the talk slowed down, Marco brought up something different, breathing new life into it. He quickly caught on when Bertolt was uncomfortable with something and smoothly avoided the topic. Bertolt found himself fidgeting less and less and relaxing all the more.

 

When Reiner did return after almost forty minutes had passed, Marco quickly left, still wanting to find Jean and his room. When he opened the door, Marco waved one time in Bertolt's direction and told Reiner to not be an annoying roommate, which made Bertolt's ears feel hot. Then the door closed behind him. 

Reiner had sat down next to Marco on his bed, where he still was sitting, now alone. Their eyes met once, Reiner offering a small grin. Bertolt dropped his gaze back to his lap, unsure of what to do. He wanted to get to know Reiner, but... he didn't know how.

Luckily, Reiner took the initiative. "You gettin' along with Marco?" he asked cheerfully.  
Bertolt glanced at him, trying to look thankful, hoping that Reiner understood he wasn't trying to be rude.

"Yeah. We bonded over our love for books, mostly."   
Reiner smiled. He flopped down onto his back, letting one leg fall off the edge of the bed and using his forearms as a pillow. "He's a genuine guy. Very friendly. And always ... soft. If you can describe a person with that."

Bertolt chuckled. "No, that's a very fitting expression." Reiner turned his head to look at him, still smiling faintly. It looked like he was thinking about something.

"Maybe we should exchange numbers, being roommates and all?" without waiting for an answer, he lifted his hips a little to fish his phone from his jean's back pockets. Bertolt looked around for his own phone. He hadn't seen it while he unpacked. 

"I don't know where I put mine," he confessed, "but I know my phone number, so ..."   
Reiner nodded, waiting to put in his number.

After Bertolt told him and Reiner saved it, he winked playfully at Bertolt, making him blush more than it should have.  
"I'll just send you some dubious text message the next few days, then you have my number as well. If you figure out that it comes from me." 

Bertolt looked at him for a second, then shook his head. "You have to practice pranking a little. It's not going to work if you tell me your plan beforehand..."   
Reiner grinned cockily, flashing his teeth. "Wanna bet?" 

Bertolt snorted. "Sure, if you want to lose." Without thinking much about it, he got up and grabbed the hand Reiner had extended towards him. Reiner's grin actually was contagious, and Bertolt grinned back almost as brightly, despite himself. 

After that, they both went and did their own thing. Bertolt picked his book back up and was actually able to concentrate properly this time, a few of his worries having disappeared after the lighthearted conversation with Marco and his roommate. Reiner had fetched a laptop from his backpack and the soft whirring noise mixed with the steady clicking of the keyboard made Bertolt sleepy. 

 

Before he drifted off, he thought about how his palm wasn't sweaty at all as he shook Reiner's hand this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i let bertolt be a tiny bit sassy towards reiner after he was sure that reiner was a good guy, i imagine he can be like that A LOT once hes closer to someone! i also look forward to writing about him and annie bc of this


	5. Chapter 5

The next morning, Bertolt deeply regretted to have fallen asleep without getting ready for bed. Despite laying on the blanket and not under it, he had sweat a lot over night in his warm sweatshirt. His jeans weren't exactly comfortable either and his morning breath was worse than usual.

He made a disgusted face at himself as he got up, detangling his limbs out of the weird position he had put himself in. The sunlight of an early morning filtered through the yellow curtains, washing a warm, gentle light over the room.  
Sighing, he tapped into the bathroom without turning on the light, careful not to wake the still asleep Reiner.

After he was done, a quick look on his clock told him the time. Luckily, classes didn't start until tomorrow. He looked around the room.

Reiner was laying under his blanket, facing the wall. His chest raised slightly occasionally, in time with his calm breathing. He snored a little.  
Bertolt had to bite back a small laugh. _Of course he snored._

Deciding that he didn't want to read his book, he went on a search for his phone. He finally found it in the pocket of his coat and unlocked it. No new messages and 6% battery. He expected as much.

He threw his phone on the bed and looked for the charger. Another ten minutes passed until he finally found it and was able to sit back down on his bed.

Maybe it would be nice to give Annie a quick update, tell her about her roommate and Marco. His fingers swiped away on the screen.

> _so, my roommate is a big, muscular jock called reiner. im not sure about him yet, but i think we could get along, maybe.  
>  _ _i also met a guy named marco, hes nice. i hope we become friends... the beds here are softer than i would have thought._

Re-reading his message, he quickly sent a follow-up text.

> _how was your day?_

Satisfied, he locked the phone again and grimaced when he smelled his sweatshirt once. He definitely needed a shower.

He left the phone to charge on his pillow, grabbed a new set of clothes together with a towel and slipped the key into his pocket. One last look at the floorplan told him where he needed to go. 

He tried to close the door behind him as quietly as possible, but wasn't able to avoid the click it always seemed to make. He hurried down the hallway and hoped that the shower room was even just a little bit warmer.

* * *

When Reiner woke up, Bertolt was gone. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes und stretched his arms out in a wide motion, yawning once.

After he brushed his teeth and changed clothes, he considered waiting for Bertolt and asking if he wanted to have breakfast together, maybe giving them a chance to bond a little.

A quick look on his phone was enough for him to decide against it. A text from Jean.

> _yo wanna grab smth from that starbucks?_

It was from fifteen minutes ago, so maybe he hadn't left without Reiner yet. 

> _sure bro. meet @ ur room?_

When he got a simple  _"yah_ _"_ in response, he slipped on his shoes and jacket and left, locking the door behind him. He hoped Bertolt had brought his key.

 

Reiner leaned back in his chair with a satisfied "Aaaah" as soon as he put down the hot chocolate with extra cream in front of him. 

Jean gave him a funny look. "If you had asked for more cream, it wouldn't have fit into that cup anymore." He sipped on his own black coffee.

"Just because I'm not afraid to order sweet drinks because of my fragile masculinity?" Reiner retorted.  
Jean glared at him when Marco wasn't able to hold back a chuckle and Reiner grinned triumphantly. 

With their table right beside the window, they were able to overlook the small park around them well. It started snowing again. 

"Hopefully it will stay this time." Marco hummed. The other two boys just nodded. Reiner was so excited the last time it was snowing, but it had melted quickly the day after.

The distinct clinking of the cups and the quiet murmur around the cafe were ... kinda soothing. Reiner smiled contently. Then he remembered what he wanted to ask Marco.

"Hey, Marco," he said, voice sounding a little unsure, "now that you've met Bertolt, I-  What do you think about him?"   
Jean eyed him curiously, and Marco cocked his head to one side. "What I think about him? He's a sweet guy. Good taste in books." He took a sip of his latte without taking his eyes off Reiner.

Reiner nodded. "Yeah, sure, but what... What do I do with him? He's so awkward that it physically hurts me." Jean let out a laugh and Reiner couldn't help to grin as well. Even Marco looked amused.

"C'mon, he can't be that bad, right?" Jean said, and Reiner ran a hand over his face. "You have  _no_ idea. I'm not even sure if he likes me." he answered, groaning quietly.

"Well," Marco started, "he  _is_ pretty nervous all the time. But I think he likes you, or he wants to, anyway. He probably doesn't know how to befriend you, though."

Reiner looked up at him hopefully. As always, Marco was able to offer much needed advice. Good advice, on top of that. 

Marco continued. "I think you should ask him to do stuff with you from time to time. He will most likely decline most of it, but if I was him, I'd be happy that you think of me." Reiner hummed. That sounded plausible. 

"You could ask him to hang out with us." Jean added. Reiner looked at him in disbelief. "You mean 'us', as in the whole group? The annoying, loud and obnoxious people we call friends? He already met Connie and Sasha and I don't think he is so fond of them." 

Marco giggled and nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I think for the start, that's maybe not a good idea. They do tend to be a bit ... overwhelming, after all."   
Jean was pouting about his idea being laughed at and sank further down into his seat, stubbornly looking outside, causing Marco to giggle a little more.

The little bell on the door jingled and from the corner of his eye, Reiner immediately recognized the tall figure coming in. Before he was able to react, Bertolt had seen them as well.

There was a flash of something Reiner wasn't able to identify on Bertolt's face and he ducked his head down a little. Marco waved in his direction.

When Bertolt arrived at the table he smiled at Marco, gave Jean an unsure look and completely avoided looking at Reiner, who now wasn't so sure if Marco was right with saying Bertolt didn't dislike him.

Bertolt had a small exchange with Marco, who introduced Jean to him, and then hung his coat over the chair that was still empty, going to order something for himself. Reiner sighed.

Jean leaned towards him a little and murmured "Okay, that dude seriously  _is_ awkward. And why is he so fuckin' tall?" while gesturing in Bertolt's direction.  
Reiner buried his face in his hands. "I know!" he said quietly, drawing out the 'O'.

Marco elbowed Jean in the side lightly. "C'mon, be nice. He's trying, okay? He's genuine." Jean scoffed but accepted it, taking his mug into his hands and bringing it close to his face.

 

The conversation was more lighthearted than Reiner would have thought. Even Jean seemed to grow fond of the quiet Bertolt who didn't say much. Sometimes, he did offer an answer or two and once, he even changed the topic all by himself. He must feel more at ease in Marco's presence.

Reiner felt a faint tug in his chest at that thought, but he brushed it away quickly. Bertolt would grow accustomed to him eventually. Or so he hoped.

When everyone had finished their drinks and Marco and Reiner had also bought something to eat, they left. As they stepped out in the cold, Reiner noted that Bertolt shivered and pulled his coat closer around himself. When Bertolt noticed Reiner looking at him, he blushed. _Well, maybe it was just the cold making his cheeks turn red._

Jean and Marco were headed to the parking lot, wanting to go to the city a bit. They said goodbye in front of the dorm building and after Marco hugged Reiner, he actually hugged Bertolt as well. Bertolt looked flustered, but accepted it awkwardly.

Jean gave Reiner a bro fist like always, it was kind of an insider between them, Bertolt looked terrified. But Jean simply waved in his direction, and Bertolt seemed so relieved that Reiner almost had to laugh. Now the two boys were alone once again.

They made their way to the room silently, Reiner unlocking the door. He didn't bother turning on the light, the sun from outside being bright enough. To his surprise, Bertolt was the one picking up a conversation. 

"So, how many of your friends go to this college?" he asked, almost sounding bemused. He eyed Reiner with a critical look. Reiner looked at him, surprised, then shook his head with a chuckle.

"It's just that my hometown isn't that far away, y'know. So, I know some people from around here. The only person you haven't met yet is Krista, I think." Bertolt seemed satisfied with that and didn't ask any more. Reiner was a little disappointed that their little talk had ended so quickly, but he didn't know what to add to that either.

Thinking about Marco's advice, he tried to not let the vibe in the room get too awkward by simply standing around, doing nothing. So he sat down on his bed and booted up his laptop. Bertolt had flopped down on his bed as well, after neatly putting his shoes next to the door. 

 

Reiner glanced up at Bertolt from time to time, looking for a good time to start up a conversation again, but Bertolt was completely absorbed in his book. _It must be a pretty good book, then_. When Reiner tried to read the title, he realized that it was a foreign language. He made up a plan of copying Marco's strategy and asking Bertolt about it as soon as he could. If books were a topic Bertolt was passionate about, maybe it was easier for him to talk to Reiner then.

Reiner had expected the silence in the room to turn awkward, but whenever he peeked over to the tall boy, he looked relaxed, as far as that was possible for Bertolt. Reiner smiled to himself, turning his gaze back to the screen. If he was honest, this was a rather soothing atmosphere. 

Suddenly, his attention was pulled to facebook. Krista's chat window had popped up.

> _Hey there! :)_

Reiner's face lit up. He hadn't talked to Krista in a while, but he missed her. Maybe more than a friend should miss someone.

Enthusiastically, he typed up a reply, his mood suddenly better than before. He didn't notice the stupid grin on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i rlly love how bertolt sleeps.. its so good for comedic moments and i rlly like the idea of reiner teasing him about it, haha


	6. Chapter 6

Bertolt's attention was drawn to Reiner when the blond closed his laptop and put it to the side. When Bertolt looked over to him, he had a bright grin on his face.

He eyed Reiner critically.  
"What?" Reiner asked amused, his hands rising in an act of played defence. "You'd be happy too if you scored a date with a chick as cute as this one!"

He didn't pay the judging look on Bertolt's face any attention, albeit Bertolt even adding a raised eyebrow, just to make a point. Instead, Reiner got up with lightning speed and trampled into the bathroom.

Shifting slightly, Bertolt was able to see through the narrow door that now stood open. He couldn't help the snort that escaped him when he saw Reiner in front of the mirror, running his hands through his hair. "Why- Reiner, what are you trying to do with your hair? It's so short, there's _no_ way you can style it."

Reiner leaned out of the small room, pouting. "Bertolt... I feel betrayed. I expected a little more support from you." Then he was back to looking into the mirror. 

Bertolt was studying him, the way he stupidly grinned at his own reflection and had his arms raised, trying to tug at a few strands of hair here and there.

His arms. Those big, strong and muscly arms and-

Bertolt stopped his own thoughts right there, before the gushing could shift in any  _unwanted_ direction.

"Who is this girl, anyway?" he said, apparently not hiding the irritation in his voice well enough.

"Aw, Bertolt. Jealous?" Reiner said cheekily, winking at him as he stepped out of the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Bertolt flushed at what was obviously meant as a harmless joke.

Where did Reiner's sudden confidence come from? Just yesterday when they met, he had been almost as awkward as Bertolt.  
Maybe this was Reiner's usual self, when he wasn't taken by surprise. 

Bertolt wasn't sure if he liked this bold overconfidence.

"It's Krista," Reiner replied to the question that Bertolt almost had forgotten already, "but I'm not sure if  _she_ knows it's a date yet. Should I change my clothes, or ..."  
Feeling like the last part wasn't addressed towards him, Bertolt didn't answer. Instead, he continued to take in the sight of Reiner standing in front of his dresser, closing and opening the drawers and taking out one sweatshirt just to put it right back. 

Reiner was almost ... cute, fussing over his clothes like that.  
After a while though, Bertolt couldn't take the nervousness radiating off of the other boy anymore. "You know, what you're wearing right now... that's fine. - I mean, it's good. Good for a date, yeah." His ears got a little red because he couldn't stop himself from starting to ramble quick enough.

Reiner turned around to him, his hands smoothing over the pullover, looking down at himself. "Really, you think so, Bertolt?" When their eyes met, Reiner had such a hopefulness in his that Bertolt couldn't help but smile. He wasn't able to bring out more than an almost inaudible "Yeah...".

He _really_ hoped that Reiner hadn't noticed the way his voice cracked.

As it turned out, Bertolt's worries were reasonless as Reiner was way too busy being lovestruck, buzzing around the room and then leaving with a loud "Wish me luck!" 

Bertolt made a mental note to tell Reiner to not slam the door like that again. Aside from it being rather obnoxious, he wasn't sure if the old door was able to take a regular treatment like that.

He sighed. Now he was alone. (Usually, he enjoyed that thought more.)

And here he hoped that Reiner would ask him to do something on their last free Saturday before classes started. He really wanted to get to know him more.  
_We had breakfast together, I guess.._  

At the mention of how they unexpectedly met in the cafe, he was reminded that a Salted Caramel Mocha was still the only thing filling his stomach. He didn't have any appetite, but he had to eat. He couldn't fall back into his old habits. 

Defeatedly, he put on his shoes and grabbed his coat. There was some spare change left in it's pocket, and Bertolt just hoped that it was enough for a sandwich from the nearest supermarket. The way there was a little longer to walk, but he didn't mind. Maybe fresh air was a good way to clear up his mind.

As he locked the door behind him, he felt his phone vibrate in the pocket of his jeans. Annie had answered the texts from this morning.

Instead of bothering to read it, he just pressed the small, green call button. It was easier than to walk and text. He really didn't want a broken ankle from falling down the stairs on his first day. If Annie didn't have time, she would just decline. 

Luckily, she picked up after a few rings. "Hey, Annie." He greeted as he went down the stairs in a trot. 

"Why are you calling me?"

Straight to the point, as always. He chuckled. "I'm just walking to the nearby supermarket, and typing would be a hassle. What did your message say?"

He heard some shuffling from the other side of the line. "Mh, I just said my day was good. And that I'm glad you're getting friendly with that Marco guy. I was worried you'd stay friendless and I'd have to come over all the time to comfort your tall ass." 

"Gee, thanks Annie. Glad to be catching up with you, too." Bertolt said, deadpan. He finally stood outside, it still was snowing. After a quick second of having to orientate, he knew where he had to go.

Without reacting to what Bertolt said, Annie just continued. "Tell me about your roommate. Reiner, was it?"

Bertolt felt himself blush, but tried to assure himself that that was just the sudden cold hitting his face. He switched his walking to auto-pilot and thought about his answer for a moment.   
"Reiner, he's... I don't know. He's nice, I guess. He looks like he works out a lot. The first day, he was really awkward, but that was probably my fault. Now he's... a little cocky. Maybe too overconfident, but, yeah. He's likeable, I'd say."

Annie was silent briefly.

"You know I'm going to laugh at you if you become gay for him, right?"

Bertolt came to a halt abruptly, pressing his phone closer to his ear as if someone could hear her otherwise. "A- Annie!" he sputtered, obviously very flustered. 

"C'mon. The first thing you told me about him is that he's muscular. As if you haven't sneaked a few looks and your imagination took off from there. Am I wrong? I don't think I'm wrong."

Bertolt knew she was just teasing him now. But he just couldn't help how beet red his face had turned. As he continued walking, he thought about it. Sure, he did think Reiner was attractive and he also really had a thing for muscles, but... he hadn't dared to let his fantasy continue that train of thought. Yet.

"Annie," he stammered, "I swear- If you say something like that again, I'm- I'm just gonna drop dead. My heart will just fail in an instant." He sighed exasperatedly, overacting for dramatic effect. 

"Oh no!" Annie said slowly, drawing out the 'o's. And Bertolt just knew that there was another comment coming his way. Despite knowing, he wasn't able to prepare himself. "We wouldn't want Reiner to have to perform mouth-to-mouth on you, just to save his tall roommate, now, would we?" Bertolt didn't even bother to try and form a coherent sentence this time.

In the distance, he saw the supermarket's parking lot come into view. "Y'know I'm just teasing you, right?" Annie said with a much gentler voice as he crossed the street.

"Of course..." he mumbled, smiling. Annie never had ill intentions, it's just how she acted with friends. 

He heard something clatter and rattle and then, Annie huffed. "I'd love to tease you a little more, but I got to go now, so..." 

"Oh no," Bertolt interrupted her, "good timing. I just arrived at the supermarket."

"Ah. Alright, see you, Bertolt."

He was barely able to squeeze in a "Bye, Annie." before she hung up and cut off the "Nice talking to you again." Bertolt shook his head and locked his phone. 

Glad to be able to flee from the cold, he stepped through the sliding doors. His right hand had really turned to a block of ice on the way here. He buried it deep in his coat's pocket. 

First of all, he had to collect himself and take a deep breath.

New supermarkets stressed him out. He had a hard time finding his way around the store and he didn't know where anything was. At least, he seemed to be the only customer, and the cashier looked extremely uninterested in anything that wasn't his phone. Which meant, Bertolt had some time to look around in quiet. Good.

* * *

"It was _horrible_!"   
Confused, Bertolt stood by the door.

After he had bought a tuna sandwich and ate it on the way back to the dorms, he had decided to ask the woman at the front desk for Marco's room number. Marco actually was home and genuinely seemed glad to see Bertolt. They just had chatted for quite a while, eventually even exchanging phone numbers. It wasn't long after Bertolt had returned to his own room when he heard a _'clunk'_ from outside the door, almost making him jump out of his own skin. 

He had opened the door carefully, in case someone was making a fuss in the hallway. But it was just Reiner. Who had slammed his head into the door.  
(When Bertolt opened it, Reiner almost lost his balance.)

Reiner looked at him with red eyes. "It. Was. Horrible." He repeated, sounding miserable.

Bertolt was stunned. Reiner kept looking at him. He just looked so pitiful that Bertolt's protective instinct kicked in, despite himself.

"Reiner, I- were you crying? What happened? Was she mean to you? Did she make fun of you? Did she not show up?" 

Balling his hands into fists by his sides, Reiner looked almost like a toddler who wasn't getting his will. He looked away from Bertolt, lowering his gaze. 

"No," he sniffled, "she's... a lesbian."

Bertolt sputtered. That's it? He could feel a distinct anger rising in his chest. "Would it be a problem if she was? Do you see her as less of a friend now? Less of a woman?"

Reiner eyed him, surprised at how he had snapped. Bertolt was a little surprised at himself as well, huffing once. His brows were still furrowed though.

"Nah..." Reiner responded quietly, squeezing past Bertolt who promptly closed the door. They had let enough cold air sweep into the room.

"I just- I don't know. I've crushed on her for a while... I guess I'm just a little heartbroken." Reiner looked down at his hands, fiddling with the hem of his sweatshirt. "I wish I had known earlier, damn. But I guess I wouldn't have stood a chance anyway, if she was into dudes.." He said dejectedly. 

Bertolt didn't really know what to say. He took a few steps in Reiner's direction and almost put a hand on his shoulder, but changed his mind last second. He also wasn't good with words, so he didn't dare to try and offer words of encouragement, fearing he'd make it worse. He hoped his caring presence would be enough.

After a while, Reiner let out a very outdrawn sigh, running his hands through his hair. "Thanks, Bertolt." he said. 

 _I didn't do anything._ Bertolt didn't say his thoughts out loud. In fact, he said nothing at all, as always.

But as always, he didn't need to, because Reiner took the initiative, clapping his hands together. "So, how are we going to heal my hurting heart? I'd be fine with a bottle of cheap vodka, but whatever you want." Startled as Reiner left his side to rummage around in his backpack, a "Huh?" was all Bertolt was able to bring out. Confused with the sudden change of emotions, he eyed Reiner critically.

"I'm saying that I'll let you pick the alcohol. I'm nice like that. Ah! Found it." Triumphantly, he held his wallet into the air, looking expectantly at Bertolt.

"Who- who said I'm drinking?" Bertolt took a few, intimidated steps back. He didn't like alcohol, because he wasn't able to hold his liquor well.

Reiner made a long face, clearly being overdramatic. Then he pointed to himself. "Your sad friend here did."   
And with that, the fight was settled.

Bertolt was too busy being flustered over Reiner calling him 'friend' to argue with what was said and Reiner was satisfied with his smart-ass answer. Like this, Bertolt was pushed towards the door, going on the second trip to the shop down the road.

Doubts kept clouding his mind. Was it a good idea to get drunk? The last time... Well. Let's just say the night hadn't ended how Bertolt had thought beforehand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> argh i have So Many Ideas™ and i want to WRITE THEM ALL AT ONCE!! heck!!! i need to hold myself back a lil so this fic actually makes sense at all. 'thank u' to anyone reading!


	7. Chapter 7

"This one."

The way Reiner was crouching in front of the shelf, pointing at the cheapest vodka they could find with a pouty face, Bertolt felt like a mother that went shopping with her spoiled child. He made a mental note of apologizing to his parents someday, just in case he had ever behaved like this when he was little.

Bertolt rolled his eyes. "I thought I'd get to pick?" He already held a bottle of wine in his hands.

They had been in the damned 7-Eleven for 15 minutes already, arguing about what to buy. Bertolt absolutely wanted to avoid any hard liquor, not intending for any of the two of them to become blackout drunk tonight. Even if that meant he had to lie about wine being his favorite alcoholic drink.

"Yeah," Reiner said, looking up at him and taking the bottle he previously pointed at out of the shelf, "but I didn't know that your choice would suck. We're not some middle-aged moms that get drunk on _R_ o _sé._ " He scrunched his nose at the last word, making a point to show his contempt.

"And vodka doesn't suck?" Bertolt raised one eyebrow and shook the wine bottle lightly. "At least this doesn't taste like medicine." 

Reiner sighed, but there was a slight grin forming at the corners of his mouth.  "God, I didn't think you could actually be annoying, Bertolt."

"And I didn't think you'd be this exhausting, yet I feel like I'm handling a moody toddler." Bertolt tried to remain completely serious to bring his point across, but when Reiner's grin widened he couldn't help himself, looking at the floor to hide his own smile. The tiles were particularly ugly, he noticed.

"Alright," Reiner responded as he put the vodka back to it's original place and got up with a faint grunt, "you win, but just because I'm feeling generous tonight." He snatched the wine out of Bertolt's hands and without waiting for him, started walking towards the checkout area. 

Bertolt shook his head and huffed, raising his voice slightly so Reiner would still be able to hear him. "If you want to call it generous to keep a promise... I'd call it 'doing the bare minimum'. It also isn't  _Rosé_ , it's red wine." He had added the last part in a low voice on purpose, not intending for Reiner to hear how he mimicked his whining.

"I heard you mock the way I said 'Rosé' just now!" Came from somewhere at the front of the small store.

Luckily, the grin was audible in Reiner's voice. Nevertheless, Bertolt still blushed furiously and hurriedly caught up with Reiner when he saw a young couple staring at him curiously.

* * *

 

Cold air hit them as soon as the store's sliding doors opened, causing Bertolt to shiver and pull his coat closer around himself. It seemed to get colder with each day.

The way back to the dorms felt longer than usual, the freezing air hurting in his lungs. Occasionally, he glimpsed over at Reiner, afraid that the silence between would turn awkward any second. But Reiner's gaze was fixed on the ground in front of them and the only noises were the crunching of their feet on the stony pathway or the cars that passed them every now and then.

Bertolt already had caught on before how strangely fast Reiner's mood had changed from devastated to somewhat happy, back in the dorm.

Now, there was a gloomy aura that surrounded Reiner. Maybe he didn't feel watched by the tall boy at the moment and let his guard down, maybe he just couldn't keep putting on a facade. Bertolt thought it wasn't his place to ask about it either way. In silent frustration, he kicked a small pebble which then landed right in front of him with a faint clatter, reminding him of how he and Annie would always play with stones on their way home from middle school.

He stuffed his hands deeper into the coat's pockets. No matter how unusually fast he got comfortable with the blond, they were still ... strangers. They knew close to nothing about each other. They lived together now, sure, but their talking hasn't really gone beyond smalltalk yet. Reiner did seem to trust him with his heartbreak, but he was also hiding his true feelings. Another kick to the pebble, but Bertolt missed. He reduced his pace for a second attempt and hauled it a few feet in front of them, this time. 

To be fair, they've only officially known each other for two days, but somehow, Reiner was able to make Bertolt forget about that fact. Something about the blond made Bertolt open up so remarkably fast... He gave the stone a final kick and it landed somewhere in the bushes growing next to the path. Bertolt sighed.

He was snapped out of his thoughts before the pessimistic mood oozing off of Reiner completely engulfed him when they reached the dorm building and he pushed the huge entrance doors open.

As usual, the hallways weren't much warmer than the outside. A silent agreement was made between them and they hurried to their room, slightly panting after climbing up the stairs that fast.

When Bertolt had hastily unlocked the creaky door and they were finally in their warm home, Reiner let the bottle drop on Bertolt's bed. "Man, my hand's frozen off. Next time, you'll carry whatever we buy."

Bertolt didn't bother to give a snarky remark and even bit back the complaint when Reiner threw his jacket heartlessly on the floor before throwing himself on Bertolt's bed. He propped himself up on his elbow and watched the other neatly put his shoes next to the door.

Standing in the room, Bertolt wearily eyed Reiner. He now had to make a choice of being super socially awkward and sitting down across from Reiner on the other bed, or to do the reasonable thing and just settle down next to the other boy. The thought of choosing made his palms feel sweaty and the unfamiliar vibe the room in general gave him really didn't help.

As he shifted his weight awkwardly from one foot to the other, still pondering about where to sit down with causing the least amount of emotional stress, Reiner raised his eyes to him.

"Luckily this bottle has a screw cap, we'd be fucked if we needed a corkscrew now." A faint cracking sound and the bottle was open. Reiner's voice had sounded extremely nonchalant, almost suspiciously so. Sheepishly, Bertolt watched him take a huge sip straight from the bottle and scoot closer to the top of the bed, clearing some space for Bertolt.

Maybe Reiner did it on purpose, maybe he didn't think about it at all. Bertolt was just glad that the choice had been taken from him.

"So, no cups then? Very classy, Reiner." His voice was dripping with sarcasm, but Reiner didn't seem to care, taking another gulp of wine. He sank further into Bertolt's pillow when Bertolt carefully sat down by his feet, sighing quietly.

He allowed himself to lean against the wall and relax his body a little. His hands fell by his side and his head rested against the cold concrete wall with the horrible paint job. 

It was awfully quiet in the room aside from the occasional gurgle when Reiner took another sip or the gentle rustle when one of them moved ever so slightly. 

The melancholic atmosphere matched Bertolt's thoughts. The bedsheets weren't as soft as at home, the light a harsher hue of white. Even with Reiner's tacky posters, the walls felt empty and bland. Not even the yellow curtains could bring a summery vibe to the room when there was no sunlight to shine through them. 

Another five minutes passed until Bertolt realized that half of the bottle was empty already. Damn. He had intended to watch Reiner closely and not let him drink so much. Well, better later than never.

"Come on, I want some, too." With a fake cheer in his voice he reached for the bottle in Reiner's hands who seemed to only reluctantly hand it to him. 

The wine had some kind of sweetness to it, but it was just ... "Disgusting, ew!" Bertolt exclaimed with a grimace. "How did you drink this while keeping a straight face?"

Reiner laughed, loud and short. "You picked it out, don't wine about it now. It's your fault." 

The worst part was that Reiner was right, but Bertolt wouldn't let him win so easily. "Well, it's your fault for wanting the cheapest wine by far. There's good wine out there, too."

Another swig, another frown at the off taste. Bertolt really didn't like wine.

"Your fault." Reiner simply repeated.

Before Bertolt could give a sassy answer, he was startled by Reiner pushing himself off of the bed. The mattress dipped as he got up, making Bertolt wiggle slightly. From the bottle in his hands came quiet sloshing sounds.

"Thought I'd could put on some music." Reiner crouched in front of his bed where he put the laptop on it, the soft whirring noise of the starting device accompanying the other quiet noises in the room. Bertolt hummed and took another sip. Music actually sounded like a nice idea. 

He shifted to his side and stuffed a pillow under his head so his hands wouldn't have to hold it up. With the bottle in his hands he silently watched Reiner's back. His muscular, broad shoulders-

"What do you wanna hear?" 

"Uhm. Anything's fine, really." Bertolt really wasn't in the mood to stress about another trivial choice, so he decided to just leave it up to Reiner from the start, this time. Reiner nodded. Shortly after,  _Ring of Fire_ filled the silence.

"Seriously? Country?" He was sure that Reiner could hear the apparent amusement in his voice, but it didn't seem to discourage him.

" _You_ said I could pick anything, so, once again: Your. Fault." With a satisfied grin plastered on his face, he got back up and strode over to Bertolt's bed. He fell down with an audible grunt and made Bertolt bounce a little, causing some wine to spill out of the bottle. Bertolt threw an annoyed look in Reiner's direction, but decided the few red spots on his white bedsheets weren't worth a discussion right now.

"Country's fine, just didn't expect it." He admitted, bringing the bottle close to his face again.

"Guilty pleasure." 

Bertolt hummed.

He had intended to take just another small gulp, but from the corner of his eye, he saw Reiner closely watching him. He smirked and there was a glint in his eyes that Bertolt couldn't quite describe, but it did feel like a silent challenge. 

Against all better judgement, Bertolt kept the bottle connected to his lips and soon swallowed a mouthful of wine. And another one. When he sat the bottle back down, it was a lot emptier than before, but there was still a significant amount left to drink. Reiner appeared to plan to do just that. 

With a laugh (probably at Bertolt's disgusted face) and a pat on Bertolt's shoulder (which did hurt, by the way) Reiner took the wine from Bertolt's hands again. 

The tall boy could definitely feel the effects now. The music from Reiner's laptop washed over him and his hands were tingly. Maybe, it was good that Reiner took the bottle from him. Bertolt really was a light weight, despite his size.

With a burning face, he turned his head in Reiner's direction who had set the bottle down between his legs, holding it steady. His hands went through his short hair, resting at the top of his head. With closed eyes, Reiner exhaled heavily, and despite the faint smile on his lips he looked ... weak. He also clearly felt the effects of the wine much more than Bertolt did.

"You don't have to hide your feelings, you know." Maybe it was the alcohol that made Bertolt run his mouth, but it was what he honestly thought. The air seemed to become a little colder, the night outside a little darker.

For a second, Reiner's facade seemed to crumble. What was left was a heartbroken kid, with an innocence to it that made Bertolt's heart clench. But as fast as the disguise dropped, a new wall was built and Reiner's face hardened. 

"What do you mean," he answered, staring straight ahead with furrowed eyebrows, an obviously fake smile forced on his face, "I'm not hiding anything. I'm good."

He slurred the words a little and it sounded like he was trying to convince himself rather than Bertolt. A frosty mood radiated off of him as he brought the bottle up for the last time and emptied it all at once. His knuckles turned white with how hard he was gripping the glass.

Bertolt could read these signs. He would shut others out and clutch to anything in reach when he got socially anxious. He overstepped a line which Reiner clearly drew for everyone.

Still, it was disappointing to him that Reiner wouldn't open up. At the same time, there were many things he wouldn't tell Reiner either, so he really couldn't hold a grudge.

They were basically strangers, after all.

The atmosphere had significantly changed and if Bertolt wouldn't have been a little tipsy, guilt would probably gnaw at him right now. Reiner was still staring straight ahead, but his grip on the bottle had loosened. 

Somehow, Bertolt couldn't bring himself to look away from Reiner's face. The way the harsh, white light illuminated it's hard edges was mesmerizing. Bertolt would call it attractive if the mood wasn't so tense.

"I'm sorry...?" Bertolt finally whispered, hoping that Reiner would understand he didn't try to force himself on him. The blond didn't say anything in return, but his face did soften a little.

A quick look to his alarm clock told Bertolt it was already eleven. Indeed, his eyes did feel a little heavy. His neck started to hurt a little from being propped up in a weird angle and he tried to shake the annoying urge to yawn all the time. 

At least, the atmosphere felt a little more comfortable again.

After a while of listening to Johnny Cash, the two boys sighed in unison. Looking at each other for a surprised split second, they had to giggle.  
Yeah, it was definitely comfortable again.  

"Your ears are red." Bertolt said quietly, a content smile on his face. 

"Like you're one to talk." Reiner leaned over and before Bertolt could pull back, pinched his right ear. Which, naturally, made Bertolt flush even more than before. Luckily enough, he could always say it's the wine's fault, but Reiner didn't tease him about it. (Maybe, Bertolt was a little sad about that.)

"You're drunk as hell."

Okay, maybe his tipsy brain was telling him that subtly trying to tease Reiner into being more touchy with Bertolt was a good idea, so what? He was still going to be too shy about it, anyway. 

Reiner's head lolled to the side and he looked at Bertolt with halfway closed eyes. "Yeah," he snickered, a teeth-showing grin on his face, "I mean, I did kill this bottle almost by myself, didn't I?"

Bertolt couldn't argue with that. Instead, he closed his eyes and curled in on himself a little more, getting cozy on his side of the bed. 

"I can't believe a tall guy like you can be comfortable in that position..." Reiner mused as he adjusted himself as well, if Bertolt could tell anything from the stirring and rustling coming from his direction. 

"I'm just flexible, I guess." Truthfully, Bertolt liked the feeling of being hidden and secure, hiding behind his knees.

The only answer he got was Reiner's evened out breathing. Cracking open one eye, he saw Reiner had fallen asleep against the wall, his mouth hanging open. His hands were loosely folded around the bottle in his lap. 

The last thought in his head was that he hoped Reiner would wake up without back pain from his position in the morning. He really didn't want to stand up again to turn of the light or bother with getting under the blanket. The heat radiating off of Reiner was immense and Bertolt was laying close enough to feel quite warm.

From across the room, Reiner's laptop was still playing music and Bertolt drifted off to  _You Are My Sunshine_ and Reiner's soft snoring.

Damn, who was he lying to? Reiner's snores were obnoxiously loud.

 

But Bertolt didn't mind. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i thought that maybe im going a bit too fast with bertolt warming up to reiner, but decided i like it that way. reiner simply makes him feel comfortable a lot easier than other ppl! i also just rlly enjoy a sassy bertolt, so.  
> i also want to get more into the vulnerable side of reiner, bc i see a lot of fics that focus on bertolt being the 'broken' one and reiner being all happy and outgoing. i kinda wanna turn it around for this one, but we'll see!!! thanks for reading!


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